Cheltenham League

Junior Charity Cup

Group Match

Tuesday 12th September 2017

Kick Off 18.00 Actual 18.05

R.S.G. 5 Southside Star 3,  attendance 13

2′ 0-1

22′ 1-1

29′ 1-2

37′ 2-2

62′ 2-3

64′ 3-3

75′ 4-3

90′ 5-3 (pen)

@ Springfields Park

Springbank Way

Cheltenham

GL51 0LT

No admission or programme.

This was to be my final ‘early kick off’ as the nights now begin to draw in. Despite kicking off five minutes late, the Referee still played the full 45 minutes each way, as well as a couple of minutes stoppage time in each half, so it was very gloomy when this finished at 19.43.

R.S.G. had to win this match to progress from the group. A very even contest, that could have gone either way and it was only settled when the hosts scored a last minute penalty, the visitors having had a man sent off for dissent following the award of the spot kick.

F.A. Vase

1st Qualifying Round

Sunday 10th September 2017

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.01

Coventry United 3 Tipton Town 1,  attendance 282

38′ 0-1

50′ 1-1

58′ 2-1

83′ 3-1

@ Butts Park Arena ( Coventry R.U.F.C.)

Butts Road

Coventry

CV1 3GE

£7 Admission

£1.50 Programme, 16 pages

Free Pocket Guide, 40 pages.

Butts Park Arena was built in 2004 and has a capacity of 3,000, which is basically the number of seats in the main stand. It is mainly used for rugby and has been home to Coventry R.U.F.C. since it opened, as well as Coventry Bears R.L.F.C.(I visited on 5th September 2004, 36-18, versus Sheffield Hilsborough Hawks, National League 3) and from 2005-2010 the Coventry Jets American Football team also played here. This season, it has also become home to Coventry United, who were formed in 2013 and started life at The Alan Higgs Centre. On the pitch they have had a very successful start, winning promotion from the Midland Division 3 in 2014, then being champions of Division 2 the following season, before winning Division 1 in 2016. They are currently top of the Premier Division, having won five and drawn one, of their opening six league matches.

There looked like there might have been a cup shock when the visitors, from West Midlands (Regional) League Division 1, took the lead just before halftime, although once they were pegged back, they never looked capable of scoring another goal and Coventry comfortably progressed to the next round.

Despite the ground being floodlit, the chance to visit on a Sunday was too good to miss. Others were obviously thinking the same, as incredibly, almost a third of the attendance were ground hoppers !

Shropshire Premier League

Premier Division

Saturday 9th September 2017

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.02

Clee Hill United 6 Craven Arms Town 1,  attendance 35

18′ 0-1

24′ 1-1

35′ 2-1 (pen)

42′ 3-1

65′ 4-1

74′ 5-1

90′ 6-1 (pen)

@ Knowle Sports Ground

Tenbury Road

Knowle

Clee Hill

SY8 3NJ

No admission or programme.

For the second successive Saturday I was at the Knowle Sports Ground, although this one being some 160 miles north of last weeks venue down in Hampshire and also a fair bit higher up, which at 950 feet, is one of the highest grounds above sea level in the county of Shropshire.

I had previously seen Clee Hill United play a ‘home’ game in the nearby town of Cleobury Mortimer, at Cleobury Mortimer Sports & Social Club, Love Lane (1-0 v Wellington Amateurs, Shropshire County League, Ron Jones Memorial Cup Semi Final, 21st May 2003) during a period when they were unable to play in Knowle as the pitch was being levelled.

Craven Arms have been promoted into the Premier Division of the newly named Shropshire Premier League (formerly Mercian Regional League and before that Shropshire County League) this season and suffered a 1-7 home defeat last week, whilst Clee Hill had a resounding 9-2 win away at Gobowen Celtic. When CAT took the lead it looked like a shock may be on the cards, but a quick leveller for CHU meant the game went as expected.

Nottinghamshire Senior League

League Cup

1st Round

Friday 8th September 2017

Kick Off 19.45 Actual 19.54

Bilborough Town 2 Basford United Community 3,  attendance 52

27′ 0-1

51′ 1-1

57′ 1-2

62′ 1-3

77′ 2-3

@ Harvey Hadden Stadium

Wigman Road

Nottingham

NG8 4PB

No admission or programme.

Back on 10th March 1991 I came here to watch rugby league, seeing Nottingham City 20 Runcorn 14 in Division 2 of the national league set up. I returned last season, on Wednesday 15th February, to watch football, but despite the home club tweeting throughout the day that the pitch was perfect and that the game was on, this was far from the case, and on arrival i found out that the match had been postponed. Hardly surprising given the size of the puddle in the goal mouth !

With this game brought forward from Saturday, it was a good opportunity to visit the ground before the winter weather sets in and one where I wouldn’t have to rely on misleading information from the home club regarding pitch conditions. The only draw back was battling the Friday traffic. This meant a dreadful 4 hours 37 minutes drive north. Even with three sections of single lane roadworks on the M1 and M25, the return journey took two hours less.

The match itself took a while to get going, and not just because the match officials somehow managed to get the game started nine minutes late, but Basford were deserved winners and perhaps a surprise result, as it was 3rd v 14th in the league table.

Bristol Premier Combination League

Premier Division

Wednesday 6th September 2017

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.33

Old Sodbury 0 Shaftesbury Crusade 1,  attendance 21

50′ 0-1

@ Old Sodbury Playing Fields

Badminton Road (A432)

Old Sodbury

BS37 6LS

No admission or programme.

Old Sodbury returned to their own village last season, having played a few seasons at Tormarton, (saw 3-1 v Highridge United, BPCL 1, Thursday 15th September 2011, 6pm) a village a couple of miles to the south east, whilst building work and underground pipes were laid at their ground.

Crusade have been promoted into the Premier Division this season and were the better team throughout and a single goal defeat certainly flattered Old Sodbury.

Before the match, during a conversation with the Referee, he said there would be no problem getting the full 90 minutes in, despite the game scheduled to kick off at 18.30, as long as they had a quick turnaround at halftime. Having then kicked off three minutes late, the inevitable was going to happen. Sure enough, at 19.57 he blew for full time, with just 35 minutes played in the second half. There was no way they could have played for another ten minutes, even if they had started on time, but both teams just accepted it was over and there were no arguments about the ‘missing’ ten minutes, although at this level, perhaps they just weren’t aware.

Gwent County League

Division 3

Tuesday 5th September 2017

Kick Off 18.15 Actual 17.59

Usk Town 5 Race 2,  attendance 51

32′ 0-1

35′ 0-2

40′ 1-2

55′ 2-2

83′ 3-2

88′ 4-2

90′ 5-2

@ The Island

Pontypool Road (A472)

Usk

NP15 1SY

No Admission

Programme, free, 12 pages (3 blank).

Usk Town are newly promoted, having won the Gwent Central League last season, as well as their divisional league cup. Four games into this season they are second in the table, with the visitors currently in fourth place.

Despite going 0-2 down, Usk never let their heads drop and having pulled a goal back just before the break, they got well on top in the second half, but the three late goals made the win look more comfortable than it actually was.

With all the players kitted out promptly, the Referee said they would get started a few minutes early……it turned out to be 16 minutes early, which, with the players staying on the pitch at halftime (it was a good 400 yards back to the changing rooms) it meant we were all done by 19.37 !

Leicestershire Senior League

League Cup

Preliminary Round

Monday 4th September 2017

Kick Off 19.30 Actual 19.43

Rugby Borough 11 St. Andrews Reserves 0,  attendance 46

21′ 1-0

23′ 2-0

27′ 3-0

50′ 4-0

57′ 5-0

61′ 6-0 (pen)

64′ 7-0

66′ 8-0

74′ 9-0

76′ 10-0

85′ 11-0

@ Rugby Town Juniors F.C. 3G Pitch

Kilsby Lane

Hillmorton

Rugby

CV21 4PN

No admission or programme.

St.Andrews look to be a team that don’t travel well. They have won their two home games this season, but have lost the two away matches 7-2 and 13-0, so perhaps this score line shouldn’t have been too much of a surprise. Rugby on the other hand, have won their opening four league matches.

It was pretty even until halfway through the first half, but it was game over when Borough then scored three goals in six minutes. The St.Andrews ‘keeper was booked when giving away a penalty ten minutes into the second half, which he then saved, but received a second yellow card when conceding another penalty five minutes later, having also conceded another goal in between. It was then a case of when, not if, the hosts would reach double figures.

Hampshire Premier League

Senior Division

Saturday 2nd September 2017

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 14.59

Infinity 1 Stockbridge 2,  attendance 32

24′ 0-1

74′ 0-2

88′ 1-2

@ Knowle Sports Ground

Knowle Avenue

Knowle

Fareham

PO17 5GR

No Admission

£1 Programme, 4 pages, A6 size.

Infinity had a 100% winning start from their opening five matches, which doesn’t say much for the teams they have beaten. Stockbridge were never in danger of not picking up the three points once they opened the scoring with a cracking 25 yarder that dipped over the ‘keeper.

A milestone of sorts was reached with today’s match. This was the 3,000th football ground I have now seen a game on in England.

Gwent County League

Division 3

Wednesday 30th August 2017

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.25

The Oak 1 Rhymney 1,   attendance 65

7′ 1-0

49′ 1-1

@ Ebbw Vale Sports Centre, 3G Pitch

Lime Avenue

Ebbw Vale

NP23 6GL

No Admission

Programme free, 8 pages.

The Oak, who are based in Tredegar, but play their games here in Ebbw Vale, are new into the league this season, having won the North Gwent League last season.

Ebbw Vale Sports Centre is built on the site of the old steelworks and was funded by regeneration money from the European Union. It is better than the majority of the 3G caged pitches that are popping up all over the place, as viewing is accessible from all four sides of the pitch and there is also raised standing on the side of the pitch where the dugouts are situated.

Oak took the lead, then were battered for the rest of the half. Once Rhymney drew level they took their foot off the gas and neither side ever looked like getting a winner.

Despite the game being finished just after 8 o’clock, closures on the M4, in Wales, and then the M25, one junction from home, meant not getting in until just after midnight.

Herts Senior County League

Division 1

Tuesday 29th August 2017

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.28

Weston 3 Stevenage Borough Community 0,  attendance 32

2′ 1-0

18′ 2-0

29′ 3-0

@ Weston Recreation Ground

Maiden Street

Weston

SG4 7AA

No admission or programme.

Weston have made the switch from Sunday to Saturday football this season and have started off with two wins and a draw from their opening three fixtures.

Despite kicking off two minutes early, the Referee played 2 x 40 minute halves and a quick turnaround at halftime meant we were done and dusted by 19.54.

Below: A small section of cover (or original dugout) that is sadly no longer in use and hidden behind the new dugouts.